Dogs really dogged out not taking that last deal we offered them that effectively valued Stringer around pick 16. Off the table now with the Smith deal done. They should have taken the deal then. Stringer going back to the dogs is just not realistic if a 1/4 of the stuff said about what has happened between him, Bevo and other club staff is true. The dogs simply have to come up with a deal and it looks like only we are playing.

That would net astute recruiter Simon Dalrymple two first-round picks (No. 9 and 11) for the first time since he drafted Stringer and Jack Macrae five years ago.

After securing Smith, Essendon now holds picks 24, 28 and a pair of second-round picks in next year’s draft.

It is a nice hand. But it will still take some manoeuvring to make it a killer hand with a juicy pick that will satisfy the Dogs.

Essendon wants to use Jake Stringer in the midfield. Picture: Michael Klein
Could they trade their future first-round pick? In a stronger draft, you suspect that would get it done, and it should be a pick lower than 11 given the expected improvement with Saad, Stringer and Smith powering up all parts of the ground.

Essendon’s strategy is to strike deals for Adam Saad and Stringer while retaining homesick South Australian Aaron Francis.

And they are all-in on Stringer. The supposed baggage Stringer comes with isn’t a knockout factor when they are this keen to throw down the welcome mat.

“Obviously, you do your due diligence and we’ve spoken to Jake a number of times,” Dons footy boss Rob Kerr said on Monday.

“We believe our culture is a strong culture and the senior players have bought into it, so it would be a good move for Jake, and for Essendon.”

They have told the 23-year-old he is in store for a brutal summer of fitness training, because the Bombers want to use him for large midfield bursts next season. He has committed to that.

They have met with him over and over and over again, from list manager Adrian Dodoro to coach John Worsfold and even chief executive Xavier Campbell.

You would back them to get it done in a trade period they are desperate to shed the ‘hard-to-work — with’ tag.

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ESSENDON remains confident of landing Western Bulldogs premiership player Jake Stringer despite having given up its No.11 selection to land Devon Smith from Greater Western Sydney.

In the first deal of the NAB AFL Trade Period, Essendon received Smith, pick No.24 and the Giants’ second-round selection in 2018.

GWS acquired No.11 and the Bombers’ third-round selection next year.

The Bulldogs have insisted on a high pick for Stringer, who at 23, has already made an All Australian team.

However, Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro was optimistic the transaction could be made.

“We’ve given our strong indication to Jake that we’ll do our best to get a deal done. There’s a fair way to go during Trade Period and we think that we can land him,” Dodoro said on Thursday.

As to how an agreement would be made, Dodoro indicated multiple trade chips would need to be conceded.

“It will have to be a combination of things,” Dodoro said.

The Smith trade could help achieve that.

“We just wanted some further picks to try and get some other stuff happening later in the Trade Period, so I think it’s a good deal for us,” Dodoro said.

Meanwhile, the Bombers have a firm idea of what electrifying Gold Coast defender Adam Saad is worth.

“We definitely think that Adam’s a second-round draft pick. We’ve been fair with that and I’m sure that we can come to some arrangement with the Gold Coast,” Dodoro said.